Sterilizing holder for toothbrushes



Y E L R U H E R 3 2 9 1 0 11 n p A STERILIZING HOLDER FOR TOOTHBRUSHES Filed Jan. 51,

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INVENTOR 2-1 5 Hurley.

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th ref Patented Apr. 10, 1923. i

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE;

ROY F. HURLIEY, OFG-ALESVILLE, WISCONSIN;'ASSIGNOR TO ALBERT TWESME OF u GALESVILLE, WISCONSIN.

7 Application filed January 31, 1922. Serial No. 533,022.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, R01 F. HURLEY, a citizen of the, United States, residing at Galesville, in the county of Trenipealeau and State of Wisconsin, have invented, a new and Improved sterilizing Holder for Toothbrushes, of'which the following is a specifi- This invention is a tooth brush holder and sterilizer and primarily has for its object to provide a simple, neat, inexpensive and easily carried device adapted to hold a tooth brush when not in use, to keep it clean, and at the same time to sterilizethe brush so that, between each successive use thereof, the brush is thoroughly sterilized and danger of infection is overcome.

Another object of my invention is to provide a combination brush holder and sterilizer of'the character stated ofa compact form that can be readilycarried in a hand grip or coat pocket when traveling and in which the partsfare so joined that the holder may be quickly opened to release the brush when it is desired to use it and as expeditiously reassembled to rehouse the brush in sterilizing position.

, An essential feature of my present inven-.

tion is the provisionof a tooth brush holder of the character stated that is composed of two like half sections which, when held together, end for end, form a regular elongated receptacle suitable for the reception:

of the standard lengths of tooth brushes, the two half sections beingstamped or otherwise shaped up from aluminum or other like metals, a supplemental elongated sleevelike member of aluminum, or other suitable light metal stamped or otherwise formed to the desired shape-from a blank piece that constitutes a housing for the reception of a removable cup or container for holding] the antiseptic gas generating substance, itv

also serving as a resilient coupling means for securely holding the two sections of.

the main body ofthe holder in fixed relation when the brush is housed within the said holder.

Again, my present invention in its'more' complete nature embodies a holder ofitwo like shaped sections and a sleeve connection which connection end 'the holder at suitable position for section are adapated for being shaped" from a light metal, preferably aluminum, and with the sleeve formed with punched portions that constitute ways for slidably receiving an antiseptic container that is also adapted for-being struck up from a suitable aluminum blank, the sleeve having'stop portions for limiting the insertion of the,

trated in the accompanying drawing, in

which: I

Figure l is a perspective view of my present'formof tooth brush holder and sterilizer,-the same illustrating the manner in which thetwo sections of the main body or holder are-separated. e w

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section of the device with a brush shown housed therein.

Figure 3 is a transverse section thereof on the line 33 of Figure 2. 1

Figure 4 is a similar section on the line;

4 .of Figure 2; V

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the coupling sleeve hereinafter specifically mentloned,

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the.

antiseptic substance container.

In the practical development of my present invention, aholder for housing a tooth brush is provided and, as shown, the said holder is ofirectangular shape in cross section, the parts thereof, when closed together, forming a housing for the reception of the standard lengths of tooth brushes, and

. to facilitate carrying-the device in the pocket the opposite ends of the holder and its corner edges are rounded as is clearly. shown in thedrawing. y o

The holder consists of two likeohalf secti s l ne of Which hereinafter called the body portion and the other 2, the top or closure member. The members 1 and 2 are shaped up in any suitable manner,

preferably from a resilient metal, and cooperating with the said members 1 and 2 is a coupling member or sleeve 3 also of a resilientmetal and rectangular in cross section.

The Coupling member or serted into the brush receptacle or body portion 1 of; the holder andto provide an eili- I cient means for holding the said member 3 sired to remove sleeve that engages the body 1 are shaped fdi effectingsuch frictional contact that the sleeve, except when pulled out by a pliers or other like device, will not separate from the raids 1.

of the body 1 oftheholder. 3O projected some distance has its free end 7 10 of. the body 1 to provide beyond the end a coupling portion for frictionally receiving the open end 20 of the cap or closure end 2 of the holder, the co-engaging parts of the cap 2 and the member 3 being shaped for frictionally holding the member 2 from displacement when applied and yet permit of readilypulling the said cap or closure member 2 off thesleeve member 3 when it is dethe brush from the holder. The member 3 has a number of parallel *ilidiita'tions 31 punched or otherwise formed the opposite long sides thereof and one of its narrow faces, thetop, is shaped with an intu'rned flange 32 at the inner end thereof. the purpose of which will presently appear. v

5 designates an elongated open top contamer that is also stamped or otherwise shaped up from a suitable spring metal and the said member 5, in which is contained the antiseptic or sterilizing substance, is of such width and length that when shoved into the outer open end of the sleeve member 3 it frictionally engages the said sleeve 3 and is held in the desired position within such member 8 during the ordinary use of the appliance.

The bottom of the apertures 50 for septic gases or container 5 has a series the escape of the anti- 1 tonfille fsati'irated with the antiseptic or st rilizing; substance.

sleeve 8 is [111* he; 'ember 3 whenoperatively pushed into the (open end I fumes from the sterilizing 'elen i'ent 5, wli1ch"inay be an elongated cot- 5 is of the full length of the sleeve 8 and it is held from being pushed too far within the said sleeve 3 by the turned down flange 32 of the sleeve (see Figure 2), the relation of the several parts stated being such that when the container 5 is in place in the sleeve 3 its forward end will be suliiciently separated from the outer edge of the cylinder 3 that the finger nail or any sharp member may be readily inserted over the outer edge of the container to provide for pulling it out from the sleeve 3 when it is desired to recharge the container with the sterilizing substance.

It will be manifest that when the parts and 4, a restricted passage 7 is formed at the entrance of the body 1 ol the receptacle that is suiiiciently'large to permit the insertion of the handle of the tooth brush but is too restricted to allow of the insertion of the brush head end first.

It will also be apparent that the arrangement of the parts is such that the sterilizing substance is held adjacent the brush head when the latter is housedQthereby providing for, a thorough dissemination of the. sterilizing gases that pass through the ioraminated bottom of the container 5 and over the brush bristles.

By fitting the cap or closure member relatively loosely onto the sleeve 3, that is with less friction than is incident on the sleeve 3 with the bod portion 1. when'it is desired'to remove the brush by pulling the two members 1 and 2. as shown in Figure 1. the cap 2 will readily become detached from the sleeve 3 and thereby expose the brush head in position for being readily grasped for pulling the handle end out of the said body portion 1.

The several parts that constitute my brush holder are so arranged that a structure'is provided wherein a tooth brush may be housed in a practically air-tight compartment with the brush constantly in connnunication with the sterilizing substance and with the brush head held from coming into direct contact with the antiseptic container 5. thereby avoiding danger of the antiseptic substance. from which the sterilizing fumes or gases are generated. from saturating the brush. which would tend to produce a dis agreeable taste during brushing the teeth.

The specific arrangement of the parts shown and described. owing to the ease and economy of manufacture. l have found a preferred construction. but I desire it understood that the specific construction described and shown may be reasonably modified without departing from my invention as comes within the scope of the appended claims.

i From the foregoing descriptibn. taken in connection with. the drawing, the complete the operation of construction, themanner of its use and the advantages of my invention will be readily apparent to anyone familiar with the use of brush holding means of the general shape described.

What I claim is: I

1. In a tooth brush holder, a receptacle for a tooth brush composed of two like sections arranged for end to end connection, a coupling member for frictionally engaging the abutting ends of the twosections, one of the said sections being adapted for engaging the coupling member under less frictional contact than the contacting engagement of the other holder section with the coupling member, whereby to readily the coupling member, when it is desire'd to open the holder to remove the brush.

2. In a devicevof the class described, the

combination of a brush containing holder composed of two half sections, a sleeve like coupling member onto which the adjacent ends of the two half sections are frictionally slidable and a disinfectantcontainer adapted for endwise sliding into and frictionally engaging the sleeve-like coupling member.

3. In a device of the class described, the

combination of a brush containing holder composed of two half sections, a sleeve like coupling member onto which the adjacent ends of the two half sections are frictionally slidable, a disinfectant container adapt ed for endwise sliding into and frictionally engaging the sleeve-likecoupling member, the said sleeve-like couplingmember having indentations in its opposite sides that constitute guides onto which to slide the con tainer whereby to hold the container close up to one of. the inner faces to the sleeve-like member to thereby restrict the passage through the sleeve and provide for the insertion therethrough, of the brush handle only.

4. In a device of the class described, the combination of a brush containing holder composed of two half sections, a sleeve like coupling member onto which the adjacent ends of the two half sections are frictionally slidable, a disinfectant container adapted for endwise sliding into and frictionally engaging the sleeve-like coupling member, the said-sleeve-like coupling member having indentations in its opposite sides that constitute guides onto whichto slide the container whereby to hold the container close up to one of the inner faces to the sleeve-like member to thereby restrict the passage through the sleeve and provide for the insertion pull from off limit the insertion of the disinfectant container therein.

5. As a new article, the combination of the" tooth brush holder and sterilizer, comprising areceptacle of a length to receive a tooth brush therein, the said receptacle consisting of two half sections of like shape and a coupling sleeve onto which theadj acent ends of the two half sections of the receptacle are frictionally engaged, an open top sterilizing agent container, the bottom of which is apertured for the escape of the sterilizing fumes,the said container being shaped for sliding into and frictionally engaging one portion of the couplingsleeve whereby to form a brush handle passage through the other portion of the sleeve,v the said coup-ling sleeve having integral g'uideswith which thc sterilizing container engages when fitted within the sleeve, the said sleeve also having a stop portion to limit the end thrust of the container into the sleevewhereby to project the outer end of the container to position itfor being withdrawn from the sleeve, the said sleeve and the container being formed of resilient metal and shaped to fit the sleeve within the holder ends, and the container within the sleeve.

6. A tooth brush holder and sterilizer comprising an elongated receptacle suitable for receiving a tooth brush therein, the said receptacle being composed of two like half sections adapted to fit end to end, a coupling sleeve with which the open ends of the two half sections frictionally engage, the triotional connection at one end of the sleeve and the corresponding receptacle section being such that the other receptacle section can be pulled off the sleeve without disturbing the connection between the sleeve and the first mentioned receptacle, section, and a sterilizing substance container supported within the sleeve.

7. A tooth brush holder consisting of an elongated receptacle comprising two like half sections, a sleeve-like member. having the cross sectional shape of the receptacle, the said member constituting a coupling adapted for frictionally receiving on its opposite ends the opposite open ends of the two receptacle sections and a sterilizing substance container endwise slidable into and frictionally engaging the coupling sleeve,

and means on the sleeve for holding the contherethrough, of the brush handle only, the

said sleeve member having a stopportion to ROY F. HURLEY. 

